Future Possibilities
by Lightseeker
Summary: The future is still a dangerous time to live in. The Scarrans are up to no good and the people of Earth might end up as their victims.
1. Default Chapter

Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: up to episode 4.11  
  
Notes: The future is still a dangerous time to live in. The Scarrans are up to no good and the people of Earth might end up as their victims. Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Farscape characters. All Farscape characters, names and situations are trademarks of Jim Henson Company, Hallmark Entertainment, Nine Network Australia, and the Scifi channel.  
  
***  
  
Shadon 3, Red Dawn Bar  
  
  
  
The door bursted wide open and in a blink of an eye a group of soldiers had appeared inside the room, keeping their weapons trained on one man. A blonde female soldier stepped forward and spoke coldly. " Rix k'Rai?"  
  
A little bald man with black hair nodded slightly as his purple eyes nervously shifted. He obviously hadn't expected something like this would happen to him. He was after all on Shadon, a place where people go when they do not wish to be found and one where few dared to wander. If one wanted their business to go unnoticed, Shadon was one of the best options available to do so. In short, Shadon was the perfect place for wanted criminals, smuglars and mercenaries to hide out at.  
  
"We've found him," the female simply stated into the coms to an unkown party. She turned around and shifted her attention towards the other visitors of the bar. " Leave and nothing will happen to you. We only want him."  
  
Within a couple of microts the bar had been cleared, its visitors glad that it hadn't been them the soldiers were after. On Shadon, one's own life was far more important than that of another. As far as Rix k'Rai was concerned, they couldn't care less about his fate. The man's time was up.  
  
" Wh...who was that you were talking to?" Rix asked, his voice slightly trembling.  
  
" Don't worry, Rix. You will find out soon enough," the female soldier answered with a smile, which almost send him running. Rix watched her slowly walking towards him. It was obvious that she was the leader of the pack or at least she was until the person she had reported to made it's appearance. Somehow he knew he wouldn't have to wait for long.  
  
" Why don't you sit down and make yourself comfortable for as long as it lasts. Xhal will be here shortly," she spoke, gesturing at a chair behind him.  
  
Rix wiped the sweat of off his forehead as he sat down. Xhal. He knew that name from somewhere, but couldn't quite place it yet. Then it suddenly hit him and it was as if something had knocked the wind straight out of him.  
  
"Xhal? As in Xhalar Sun? The son of..." Before he was able to finish his sentence, a voice interrupted.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I've got my daddy's eyes and my momma's smile. Now, let's cut to the chase. Rix k'Rai, I presume?"  
  
Rix's mouth dropped wide open as he stared at the figure standing in the doorway. He couldn't help but notice the amused smiles appearing on the soldiers' faces as they noticed his reaction. Realizing that Xhalar Sun was waiting for an answer, he quickly nodded and verified his identity. Still looking at the young man, he forced himself to memorize every little detail. It might come in handy at a later point in time. Sun was dressed in a black leather uniform, somewhat simular to those the Peacekeepers normally wear. Rix remembered reading something about the fact that John Crichton and Aeryn Sun had a son, but the age had never been disclosed. About a cycle ago rumours had started floating around that this son, Xhalar Sun, was part of a special covert operation group. Although the young man's name was not nearly as notorious as his parents, he had managed to take out several big names in the so-called "creative" trade. And it was enough to make Rix scared, because he knew exactly why Sun was after him.  
  
" If you give me what I want, this will all be over before you know it. Aint that right, Teris?" Xhal's eyes met those of the blonde female soldier for a moment before he turned his attention back to the smuggler.  
  
"He's been awfully quiet after realizing who he's dealing with. Maybe he's heard some of those nasty rumors about you and us that have been floating around the place, Xhal," Teris stated dryly as she sat down in a chair opposite of Rix, swinging her feet off the ground and letting them rest on a nearby table.  
  
" Hmmm. You should never believe rumors, since they have the ability to be just that...rumors. I swear I have no idea how they've come up with those things about us. We're usually very well-behaved," Xhal spoke as he pulled his pulse pistol from his holster and examined it. " But we've been hearing some rumors about you too, k'Rai. We found them interesting enough to examine things closer."  
  
Rix ran his fingers through his hair and inhaled deeply as he gathered enough courage to face the young man standing in front of him. " I don't know what you're exactly expecting from me. You must have mistaken me for someone else."  
  
Xhal sighed. He should have known this would happen. Why couldn't it ever be easy? He decided he would play along...for now and certainly not for very long. The little smuggler was trying what was left of his patience." So, this is all just a case of mistaken identity then?"  
  
" Yes...yes," Rix stammered, hoping for the very small chance that Sun would buy his excuse.  
  
" I see. The wrong guy then?" Xhal smiled slightly.  
  
Rix nodded. He soon realized he had played the wrong card as he saw the smile vanish from Sun's face and suddenly found himself looking into the barrel of a pulse pistol.  
  
" Well, I kinda have a problem with that particular notion. I know you're a smart guy, too smart to play dumb with me. I'm sure you're the kinda man who wants to do the right thing. A man who doesn't want anything bad to happen to him. See where I'm going with this?" Xhal paused for a couple of moments as he intensely gazed into the little man's purple eyes. He saw Rix's eyes shift focus towards the pulse pistol he was now virtually holding against the alien's forehead. " So, might you know what I want from you after all?"  
  
" M...might it have...might what you be seeking have to do with some intel documents the Nebari send to the Scarrans via an unknown third party? Something about wormholes?"  
  
" You're on the right track, Rix. But I'm sure you could tell us more than that," Xhal said as he pulled the pistol away from the smuggler's head and placed it back into its holster.  
  
" The Scarrans want to attack Earth because they fear if the Peacekeepers seek the aid of the Humans, they will eventually be defeated. They are planning to attack Earth through the use of wormholes before the Peacekeepers will be able to protect the Humans. The only problem with their plan is that they haven't quite managed wormholes yet, but that in itself will not be an obstacle for very long. Within three to six weekens they will have mastered wormhole theory and attack your father's home planet," the little man informed.  
  
Xhal signed the members of his group to leave. " Head back to the ship and be on alert for hostile groups. This isn't exactly a place best known for its hospitality. I'll join you as soon as possible."  
  
Teris got out of the chair, but as the rest of the group started to move out, she refused to move. She walked over to Xhal and touched his shoulder." I'm staying here, Xhal. It's like you said...this place is dangerous. Besides, you might need someone to cover your back."  
  
" I wouldn't have it any other way," He smiled and turned his attention back at the alien smuggler, who was still sitting in his chair. " Thank you, Rix. That was exactly what I needed to hear. You can get up now or do you wish to sit there forever?"  
  
Rix got up and took something out of his coat. His hands were shaking and sweaty as he handed a shiny object to Xhal. " This data crystal contains all the information I have. Pl...Please don't kill me."  
  
" Why would we kill you?" Xhal laughed as he shook his head. " Whatever gave you the impression that we would do something like that?  
  
" The stories..."  
  
" You should never believe everything you hear, Rix. People are very creative creatures. They tend to make things up or exaggerate. Don't worry, we're not going to kill you. In fact...you're free to go," Xhal spoke as he turned away from the little man and walked out of the bar with Teris following not too far behind him.  
  
After having left the bar, Teris looked at Xhal and asked the question that had been on her mind ever since she heard what Rix had told them. " What are you going to do now?"  
  
"See my parents and deliver the information to them. We can't let the Scarrans go ahead with their plan to attack Earth." 


	2. part two

Future Possibilities, part 2 Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: see part 1  
  
***  
  
Command:  
  
" John?" Aeryn's voice echoed through command. From a distance she watched her mate trying to repair something underneath one of the main control consoles. It wasn't looking good.  
  
" What's wrong, Aeryn?" John asked, ceasing his work on the console.  
  
" It's late. You said you would come to read Leslie a bedtime story about an arn and a half ago," she softly stated as she walked towards him and came to a stand still in front of John.  
  
" Damn. I'm sorry, Aeryn. I don't exactly know what's up with me," he replied somewhat frustrated, throwing the tool he had been using back into the toolbox.  
  
" It's Xhal," Aeryn concluded as she sat down next to John on the floor. A surprised expression flashed across John's face. How did she know? He always tried his best to hide his worries from her. John felt her fingers lovingly touch his cheek, urging him to look at her.  
  
" Yes. How did you know?"  
  
" I knew because I know you, John. After all these cycles there's nothing you can hide from me. If you want to know how our son is doing, you could of course ask Neri to tell you."  
  
" I'm sick and tired of having to ask Neri about his whereabouts, Aeryn. I figure Neri might feel the same way as I do by now. The kid's off on some quest again and is who knows where or doing what for that matter," John sighed, leaning against the console.  
  
" We all worry about him, John. But it's something he wants to do and you know what it's like when he's made up his mind," Aeryn spoke.  
  
" Yeah...there's no chance of changin' it, especially with that stubborn streak of his. I know I told him that he needed to be his own kind of hero and not feel like he's standing in my shadow. But his choice of career wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I spoke those words out loud to him."  
  
"He's fighting for a cause he believes is just," Aeryn smiled sadly. " As a mother I only want to protect him, but as a soldier I understand why he has chosen to do this. We can't protect him anymore, John. We need to trust in the fact that this is what makes Xhal happy. The both of us have given him all the necessary tools of survival a person needs in the Charted and Uncharted territories. There's nothing more we could have done for him."  
  
" You're right, Aeryn," John replied, kissing her. A smile lingered on both their faces as they broke off the kiss. There was a better place than command to continue what they had started with their kiss. " Is Leslie mad at me?"  
  
" Our daughter told me to tell you that she forgives you," Aeryn laughed as she remembered her conversation with their five cycle old daughter. " But she expects you to make it up to her by letting her fly with me in the prowler."  
  
" I guess she leaves me no other chance," John chuckled as he got up from the floor.  
  
" And there's more..." Aeryn stated dryly, letting John pull her up and take her in his arms.  
  
" There's more?" John asked amazed. Leslie was like a miniature version of Aeryn in every possible way. Aeryn's pregnancy had been a surprise to say the least, because they hadn't planned it. When his daughter had been born he had felt like the luckiest man alive in the universe. The arrival of Leslie had completed their family.  
  
" Yes. I..."  
  
Before Aeryn could finish what she intended to say, Chiana ran into command and was obviously looking distraught. " Sorry to disturb you two, but I need to talk to you. It's about Xhal."  
  
***  
  
Xhal rubbed his eyes and yawned as he checked the readings on the small screen to his left. He tried to focus, but all he saw were blurry figures and what seemed to be complete gibberish. Flying for sixteen arns straight was finally starting to take its toll on him. The small cockpit of their marrauder class ship seemed even smaller than it normally did.  
  
" Xhal, you still awake?"  
  
He nearly jumped up from his chair upon hearing the voice of his tactical officer, Merac Yulon. Xhal turned to look over his shoulder and saw Merac leaning against the opened doorway. " Yeah, pretty much. Did Teris send you?"  
  
Merac nodded. " She told me that if I wouldn't drag your eema out of here to get some sleep, she'd hurt me in ways I'd never imagined. Having heard that I decided that my life is too precious to lose, so I practically ran faster than I've ever done. I've must have broken several speed records to get here."  
  
" If I had been in your shoes I would have done the same damn thing," Xhal laughed as he got out of the pilot's chair. With a swift gesture he signalled his intentions to the other man. Xhal ran his fingers through his spiky pitch black hair as he walked over to his friend." It's all yours, Merac. I certainly don't want you to face Teris's wrath if it aint necessary. She probably told you to knock me out cold if I refused to comply."  
  
" Not in so many words..." Merac replied with a big grin plastered all over his face. He could literally see how tired Xhal was. Right about now he was actually glad Teris had forced him to take over the helm from their leader. It was a miracle that Xhal had managed to stay awake for this long since he hadn't even slept one microt after hearing the rumor about the Scarrans, which had been well over thirty-eight arns ago.  
  
" I guess I'll be off to bed then," Xhal spoke, trying to fight off another yawn. "Wake me when we've reached our destination."  
  
" Aye, Sir," Marec saluted as he sat down in the pilot seat and began to check the readings displayed on the screen. In about three arns they would reach their destination: the leviathan Moya. It was about time to send Moya a message about their pending arrival.  
  
*  
  
Walking through the small corridor, Xhal stopped for a moment to listen to the familiar engine sounds of the marauder. This ship had become home for him after having left behind his life on Moya. Even when his crew and he were back at the base, he spent most of his time on the marauder despite the fact that he had his own room back at the base. Two years ago he had decided to leave Moya in order to fight under the command of Neri. Looking back his choice had been the best thing he could have done at the time and he certainly felt no regret about making the decision of becoming his own kind of hero.  
  
He had assembled a loyal crew around him during the past two years, a crew for which he would go to hell and back for. They were his family, like those on Moya were his mother and father's family. His crew were considered outcast by the other fighters, but respected nonetheless. He knew Neri had certainly voiced his disagreement about a couple of people he had added to his crew, finding them a too great a liability. Neri was very protective of him, because the Nebari had promised Xhal's parents to look after him.  
  
" Xhalar..."  
  
" Teris, what are you still doing up? You should be sleeping," Xhal looked up surprised, after noticing her standing at the end of the corridor outside of the sleeping area. She was wearing her black underwear and seemed unaffected by the cold platings of the ship. Her curly strawberry blonde hair playfully danced on her shoulders and her green eyes showed her concern for his well-being.  
  
" I wasn't sure Marec would be able to convince you until I heard the sounds of your footsteps," she spoke softly. " You look tired, Xhal."  
  
He nodded. " I am tired. Thank you for doing what you did, Ter. I really appreciate it."  
  
She smiled as she shrugged. " It's what every second-in-command would do for their commanding officer. Besides I don't want to be the one who tells Neri you killed yourself by being too stubborn to take a break, so you could get some sleep."  
  
" Speaking of getting some sleep. My bunk bed is awaiting my arrival and yours is getting cold," Xhal grinned as he continued on his way. He heard her sigh after he had passed her by.  
  
The blackness of the sleeping area welcomed them as they made their way to their personal bunks. While sitting on his bed Xhal pulled of his boots as quietly as he possible could. Too tired to take off his clothes, he just laid down on his bed. Xhal was vast asleep before his head had even hit the pillow.  
  
***  
  
Moya:  
  
" Did something happen to him?"  
  
" Well, that's just it. I contacted Neri about an arn ago, because I noticed how concerned you were and figured I'd help you out..." Chiana frowned as she looked at her friends. They were both trying to hide their feeling, but it was evident that Aeryn was better at it than John. She didn't want to stand in their shoes right about now, even though she could imagine what was going through their minds.  
  
" Is he okay, Chiana?" Aeryn asked, grabbing hold of John's hand and sqeezing it.  
  
" That's the thing...Neri doesn't know. Xhal took off with his crew after reading some of the recently gathered intel and Neri hasn't heard from him since. He doesn't know what the intel was about because Xhal has apparantly taken it with him and nobody else besides Xhal has had the chance to read it. So Neri has no idea if Xhal's okay or if something has happened to him."  
  
" Damn that kid of ours!" John shouted in frustration. " How can he be so frelling stupid? This is not something we taught him, Aeryn. You just don't go storming off somewhere without a solid plan. For all we know he could be dead."  
  
" Aeryn...commander Crichton. I might have something of interest to you," Pilot spoke as he appeared on the clam shell in command. " I have received a recorded message from a marauder class vessel. It has something to do with Xhalar."  
  
" Please play it on the main screen, Pilot," Aeryn stated as she walked over to one of the console and pushed several button. John and Chiana followed her lead and joined her at the console.  
  
A Sebacean face appeared on the screen in front of them.  
  
" This is Officer Merac Yulon of the marauder class vessel ' The Phoenix'. We request a rendez-vous with the Leviathan Moya. Code decca-alpha-decca. It is of an urgent matter."  
  
" Pilot, mute sound," Aeryn spoke. She looked over at Pilot's image on the clam shell. Aeryn was getting a bad vibe about the whole thing. " Did they say anything about when they would be arriving at our position?'  
  
" Their estimated arrival is in two and a half arns. Are you expecting trouble, Aeryn?" Pilot asked curiously.  
  
" Pilot, I want security on alert and two of our squads armed and ready at the airlock after the Phoenix has docked with us,"  
  
" Aeryn..." Chiana interrupted. " The Phoenix is Xhal's ship."  
  
" We know, Chiana. But without knowing what happened we can't afford any unnecesarry risks," John finished. He knew why Aeryn was doing this. Their enemies knew about their son and could have planned something to strike back at them. Moya was carying a lot of people. People who needed to be protected from harm. 


	3. Reunions

Future possibilities, part 3  
  
*** The Phoenix:  
  
Teris sat down on Xhal's bed and watched him sleep. It was too bad she had to wake him, but they had almost arrived at their designated designation. Up to this moment she had only heard of Moya through the stories Xhal had told her and the others. She had of course seen other Leviathans before, but never one that hadn't been enslaved.  
  
"Hey, wake up sleepy head," she spoke, poking him in the ribbs. Teris smiled as she watched him stir. Xhal had taught her the expression after he had rescued her and she had been gravely wounded by those who had tortured her. It had been the first time they had met or she should probably say that Xhal had met her, because she had been unconscious at the time.  
  
Xhal opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times. He slowly pushed himself upwards until he was sitting on his bed. He felt their arms brush against one another. A grin appeared on his face as he looked her in the eyes. "Hey there, sunshine..."  
  
" You wanted to be woken when we arrived at the coordinates. The others are waiting for you in command, so I figured I'd be the one to wake you since I also was the one who made you get some sleep in the first place."  
  
" Is everyone ready?" he asked as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.  
  
" Yes, we have all taken the necessary precautions you wanted us to take. Are you expecting trouble upon our arrival? Do you think your parents don't trust the message we send to Moya..."  
  
"They were probably contacted by Neri after we left. Not knowing what has happened to me, they are unwilling to take any unnecessary risks and want to protect those living onboard Moya. So...if I know my parents like I think I do, I'm certain we'll be greeted by armed troups. I trust my parents, but not the abilities of those who will be waiting for us in the hangar bay. Bottom line is that I don't want a nervous or trigger happy welnitz to hurt one of us when it can prevented. That's why I'll be the first to leave the ship."  
  
" This will be the first time you'll see your parents since the day you left, won't it?" Teris asked as Xhal got up from his bed. She herself had never known who her parents had been. Born and raised a Peacekeeper. A loyal soldier. It had been the only life she had known until her commanders had left her to die at the hands of the Scarrans. Cannon fodder that was how they had seen her and her unit. It took her a long time to accept and come to terms with this.  
  
" Yeah..." he spoke, barely hearable.  
  
She sighed as she jumped up from the bed and pulled Xhal into a hug. Teris was surprised to find out that she was being hugged back by Xhal. As she gazed into his eyes, she saw them darken and noticed something she hadn't seen before. Xhal moved closer to her...their faces mere inches apart from one another. And although she was half expecting it, it still came as a surprise when he suddenly started kissing her. It didn't take long for her to respond to his kisses and return them with equal passion. She started tugging at his T-shirt in an attempt to pull it off him as he left a trail of kisses on her neck.  
  
" Xhal? Teris?" Merac's voice spoke through the comms. " I am initiating the descend into Moya's hangar bay. So get your eemas over here as soon as possible!"  
  
" I guess that's our cue to go," Xhal whispered as they broke off after having stolen a last kiss from eachother.  
  
"Uh-huh," was all that was able to leave her mouth as she nodded in agreement. There would be a time where they would discuss what had just transpired between them, but it wasn't now. There were other, more important things to do.  
  
***  
  
Moya:  
  
Aeryn Sun and John Crichton watched as the Phoenix touched down on the deck of the hangar bay. Two armed units of soldiers surrounded them, ready to attack when the sign was given to them.  
  
" We're not too late, are we?" D'Argo asked, carrying his Qualta Blade just in case it was necessary. Chiana had brought her own weapon along and despite her best efforts she hadn't been able to get rid of Noranti, who had brewed some kind of special potion for the joyous occasion of Xhal's homecoming.  
  
"No," John answered. "You're on time, D. The marauder has just landed."  
  
A loud hissing signalled the opening of the marauder's bay door. Steam escaped from the vessel, partially cloaking a figure who jumped down. John couldn't quite make out who it was. He noticed his soldiers looking around nervously and he looked over at Aeryn. John was sure that Aeryn had noticed it as well.  
  
The figure slowly moved towards them and as it came closer, John recognized the familiar features of his son. He saw a huge grin appear on the boy's face. The first thing John observed was how tired Xhal looked and wondered what his son had been up to.  
  
" Well, hello there. Not the homecoming I had been expecting, but it'll do," Xhal spoke amused as he watched the assembled crowd in front of him. He turned and looked back at the Phoenix and signalled his crew that it was safe for them to join him. One by one figures started to emerge from the steam. Merac and Teris were the first to arrive at his side, closely followed by the other two crewmembers Callan and Zeus. Callan was a Nebari who's parents had fought with Neri during the early days of the Nebari resistance. He was one of the orginal members of Xhal's unit along with Merac. Zeus was an Interon who had been given that nickname by Xhal during one of their missions, because he was getting tired of having to say the Interon's full name. Zeus served as the science and medical officer onboard the Phoenix.  
  
" Mom...dad.We need to talk."  
  
" The message your pilot send us said something about an urgent matter," Aeryn stated. Their son had changed and it was obvious to see for those who had known him. His eyes betrayed what he had seen and been through during his absence from them. She couldn't help but notice the way his men looked at him. Neri had never fully disclosed what Xhal was doing for him or who his was working with, but she could see that her son had surrounded himself with capable and loyal people. It was as if she was seeing John when she looked at her son.  
  
" You probably already know that I suddenly ran off after having read some documents..." Xhal paused. " Merac told you the truth about it being urgent. I'm calling for an emergency meeting."  
  
* 


End file.
